Lesson 23 - Satan: His Personality and Power

     The name Satan is derived from the Hebrew שָׂטָן Satan (Job 1:6) and the Greek Σατανᾶς Satanas (Matt. 4:10). Both words mean adversary. Other names include the shining one, or Lucifer (Isa. 14:12), the evil one (1 John 5:19), the tempter (1 Thess. 3:5), the devil (Matt. 4:1), the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4), the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10), the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2), the serpent (Rev. 12:9), the great red dragon (Rev. 12:3), and the angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14).

The Personality of Satan

     Satan was a created person (Col. 1:16; cf. Ezek. 28:11-18).[1] Satan exercises all the functions of a person. 1) He has volition (Isa. 14:12-14), 2) he practices deception (Gen. 3:1-15; 2 Cor. 11:13-15), 3) he interacts with God (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-13; Luke 22:31-33; Rev. 12:10) and people (Eph. 6:10-12; 1 Pet. 5:8), 4) he interacts with Jesus (Matt. 4:1-11), 5) he has well developed strategies of warfare against Christians, which strategies display his personality (Eph. 6:10-12). “There is no mention in Scripture of a warfare by Satan against the unregenerate; they are his own and therefore under his authority (John 8:44; Eph. 2:2; 1 John 5:19).”[2]

The Power of Satan

     “Though morally fallen and now judged in the Cross (John 12:31; 16:11; Col. 2:15), Satan has not lost his position, and he has lost but little of his power. His power both as to personal strength and authority is disclosed in two forms.”[3]

1. “His personal strength cannot be estimated. He possesses the kingdoms of the world (Luke 4:5-6), had the power of death (Heb. 2:14), which now belongs to Christ (Rev. 1:18). He had the power over sickness with Job (Job 2:7), and was able to sift Peter as wheat (Luke 22:31). He is said “to have weakened the nations, to have made the earth to tremble, to have shaken kingdoms, to have made the earth a wilderness, destroying the cities thereof, and not to have opened the house of his prisoners (Isa. 14:12-17).” Even Michael, the Archangel, does not contend with Satan (Jude 1:9), but the believer has victory through the Sprit and the blood of Christ (Eph. 6:10-12; Rev. 12:10-11).”[4]
2. “Satan is aided by demons. As a creature, Satan is confined in his abilities and relies on numerous fallen angels who carry out his will.”[5] (Read pages 158-159)

[1] These abbreviated points are taken from Major Bible Themes (Grand Rapids, Mich. Zondervan Publishing, 2010), 156-158.

[2] Lewis Sperry Chafer; John F. Walvoord; Major Bible Themes (Grand Rapids, Mich. Zondervan Publishing, 2010), 158.

[3] Ibid., 158.

[4] Ibid., 158.

[5] Ibid., 158.